Dawn of Sorrow picks up right after Aria of Sorrow—you're still playing as Soma Cruz, but now you've got the whole DS touchscreen to mess with. The gothic castle vibes are strong here, with those classic whip-cracking, soul-collecting mechanics that make Castlevania so addictive.

What I love is how they expanded the soul system—you can combine enemy abilities to create wild new attacks, and the touchscreen lets you draw magic seals mid-battle (though good luck nailing those when a boss is breathing down your neck). The pixel art still holds up, especially when you stumble into some of the massive, multi-screen boss fights.

It’s got that perfect mix of exploration and "oh-crap-I’m-not-supposed-to-be-here-yet" moments. Just don’t expect the touch controls to feel natural at first—took me a few deaths before I stopped fumbling the seal drawings.